Top 5 things not to do on The Island at Pigeon Forge
Having grown up around the chintzy neon glow of Pigeon Forge, I feel like I’ve got a pretty good handle on how this top-tier tourist destination works. You give the people what they want.
Does that mean we end up with repetition more than innovation? Yes. Are we are subjected to cookie-cutter restaurants, shops, games and everything else? Yep. Does Pigeon Forge really need a dozen purveyors of beef jerky or hot pepper sauce or old timey photos? Apparently.
Is The Island – one of the most popular destinations in town – the Pigeon Forge-iest place that ever Pigeon Forged? Yep.
The Island – aka the essence of Pigeon Forge distilled into one convenient location
It’s not hard to figure out why The Island is exceptionally popular. In addition to the big-ticket locations – not one but two Margaritaville themed hotels and a Paula Deen restaurant – there are dozens of smaller stores, restaurants and shops that specialize in the peculiar specialties that seem to dominate the tourist landscape.
Let’s do a quick breakdown: Fudgery? Check. Candy shop? Yep. Ice cream shop? Check. Beef Jerky? Of course. Escape Game? Yep. Farm related décor shop? You bet your sweet bippy. Hand-blown glass? As if there’s any other kind. Moonshine, vape shop and pepper store? The only surprise is they’re not all in the same shop.
The Island – for all it’s unique, fun and interesting shops and things to do – is a one stop shop to do almost everything people come to the mountains for. Add a mountain coaster, a pancake house and go-kart track and you’d never have to leave.
Top 5 things not to do on The Island
1. Don’t skip the wrist band
If you have kids and you’re staying on The Island, consider the wrist band. It buys you unlimited rides for 48 hours for $39.99 and is a pretty good deal. For an additional $10, you get one-time admission to the ropes course and quick jump.
While not everything on The Island is included, there are a significant number of kid-friendly attractions included. They are: The Flying Horse Carousel, Happy Swing, Lil’ Ribbits, Funny Cars, Twist N’ Shout, The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, ThunderDome, Spinning Parrots Coaster, Sky Tykes, Reverse Time, Clockwork, High Score, Tree Fall Drop Tower, Island FARM’n and Dance Party 360.
2. Don’t miss the Great Big Game Show
It’s the game show feeling except instead of winning fabulous prizes and cash, you pay to play! I’m kidding at least a little. This game show destination is perfect for big families, friend groups, guys or girls night out. You can get together and compete in game-show style events designed to entertain and test the boundaries of your interpersonal relationships.
The two studios hold up to 14 players each to compete in on- of 18-rotating minigames so that you never get the same experience twice. It costs $40 each – group rates are available – and reservations probably be booked in advance. The games usually take about an hour to play.
3. Don’t eat all of your meals on The Island
Sure, it is convenient to not battle the Pigeon Forge traffic. That is one of the biggest reasons to stay on The Island. But it is also important to get off The Island and explore more of the Sevier County culinary scene. The restaurants on The Island are fine, for the most part, but tend to be more focused on the tourist experience than the food.
I am on the record as being absolutely perplexed by the appeal of Dick’s Last Resort and I find Paula Deen’s underwhelming as well. While I am supportive of the lifestyle and music of Jimmy Buffet, I find the Margaritaville branding bland when it comes to the restaurants. There are so many good and interesting places to eat in the Smokies, don’t settle for the offerings on The Island.
4. Don’t spend too much time thinking about why there’s an Alcatraz Crime Museum on The Island
Alcatraz – the famous prison in the San Francisco Bay that may be making a comeback – isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when I think of the Smokies. But regional significance has never been terribly important. There used to be an Elvis Museum in town even though he spent the better part of his life on the other end of the state as did the famed “Walking Tall” Sheriff Buford Pusser who also had a museum dedicated to his memory in Pigeon Forge. Throw in the Titanic, the Hatfield and McCoys and attractions devoted to Pirates and lumberjacks and you quickly understand that in Pigeon Forge the only necessary connection is that tourists will be a ticket. And in a society obsessed with true crime, the Alcatraz Museum sells more than its fair share of tickets.
5. Don’t be impatient
Like Dollywood, The Island is incredibly popular. That means there will be days that it feels like everyone in Pigeon Forge has decided to hang out at The Island to see what’s going on. If you want to avoid crowd and have a quiet Smoky Mountain getaway, The Island is not the place for you. If you do set foot on The Island, bring your patience, understanding and remember that we live in a society which means sometimes we have to endure the peculiarities of other people.
What do you avoid at The Island? Let us know in the comments!